How much weight do you put on customer or end-user reviews, comments, etc...? Does it influence what you would buy or audition?
On one of the negative reviews, the vendor got very upset and personally contacted me and attacked me verbally in an unprofessional manner at home and my work place.
I was shocked at the perceived weight my review or co ...
I'm not familiar with your negative review or the gear at hand, but I can both understand the perceived weight any review and find the vendor getting ticked off understandable, but him attacking you is well beyond unprofessional, its plain rediculous. Regardless of how unhappy they are with comments, that's their personal issue to deal with, unless the comments were untruthful or with valid issue.
As to your original question, I place a ton of weight on reviews, whether by "professional" reviewers or individuals, and yes, it sometimes does determine what I purchase.
I purchase new and used, primarily used, and 100% online. Dealers provide excellent services, but knowing that I can buy something at 40-75% off, and knowing that I am looking for both the best sound for me, but also to satisfy curiosity in the process, I do quite a bit of buying and selling, just to know. I'm the guy willing to try something 3 people in the world have heard, or is a prototype, or similar situations if I get enough of a read to think that it will be that good.
Some people have dealers who are excellent simply from a audition/sales perspective (outside of services offered). As much as I'd like to hear rediculously expensive and neat equipment, I won't waste a dealer's time knowing that I'm not buying anything new from them. Because of this, purchases are based on other's opinions, my own assumptions and a lot of chances. The only 'dealer' I would consider in regard to service would be in regard to services -- if I needed construction, if I was looking for acoustic consultation outside my knowledge or any area truly outside of my scope.
Those who are blind end up both relying on and enhancing other senses for the lack of one. My situation is similar. Certain reviews and reviewers talk to you and speak to a language that makes sense to you, spoken in your language, and you're both on the same page. Their description of a component may ring true with your own impression, and thus comparison to other products have greater weight. Eventually you find you way, and tune out the noise to the point that you can almost construct virtual systems that you assume would be an excellent combination without actually hearing them from both a technical and a literally viewpoint. You'd be surprised how well it actually works if you're willing to dig deep and read literally everything that's available to you.
To be a startup or a small player in this business is akin to opening a small restaurant in a small town. The ratio of establishments that survive to those that die is rediculous. Reviews and word of mouth are everything. One bad situation (food poisoning or an amplifier blowing up) and you're out of business. One bad review prior to establishing a customer base that will come back for more or defend your credibility and you're out of business. If you don't provide the best of the best, and you don't keep coming out with something new and in a proper fashion, you're out of business.
They say the restaurant business has the highest rate of failure in the first year over any other business type. I'd have to disagree, they apparently didn't survey the high end audio market.
So yes, negative remarks regarding a product in a small, tight market for a small business, especially a new one can spell certain death, and its understandable that a manufacturer would want to avoid such things.
At the same time, getting nasty and malicious at the sight of such things doesn't fly in any business, in any business type, big or small, and should not be tolerated, and a review of such actions would have even more weight than the initial hardware review.
Customers should be careful with their comments, showing honesty, comparison, and be well thought out, and vendors and manufacturers should do the same.
Unfortunately this isn't always the case -- sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other, and sometimes on both.
If you'd be willing to elaborate on the review and issue, even if its via PM, my curiosity has been peaked and I've been in awkward situations previously regarding whether or not I review a component...or a manufacturer.
